Chapter 274: Going for a Prenatal Checkup
Ever since that night, Mother Gu made a habit of slipping into her room in the dead of night to check on her and give her legs a thorough massage.
“Why didn’t you call for me, you silly child?” Mother Gu chided gently during one of her visits. “You’re the one lying here suffering through the cramps.”
Sheng Wanyan had simply felt too embarrassed to wake her mother-in-law just to rub her feet. After all, it felt a bit inappropriate. She was naturally thin-skinned about these things, but Mother Gu saw right through her modesty and did everything she could to ease her physical discomfort.
“These are all minor things,” Mother Gu reassured her. “If anything is bothering you, just call for me. It’s not as if I’ve never looked after a daughter-in-law during pregnancy before. There is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded, a deep wave of warmth spreading through her chest.
Before they knew it, another half-month flew by, bringing the day of Sheng Wanyan’s scheduled prenatal checkup. Mother Gu packed their bags early in the morning and accompanied her to the military hospital.
The moment they arrived, they crossed paths with Pan Yue’s mother, who was currently on duty. She enthusiastically guided them through the crowded hallways straight to the office of the director of obstetrics and gynecology. Mother Gu and Mother Pan already knew each other from previous family connections; now that their children’s marriage had made them formal relatives, they naturally fell into a lively conversation while waiting.
Sheng Wanyan went through her routine examinations. Because Mother Gu was hovering attentively by her side this time, the department director took extra care to provide a highly detailed set of instructions.
“Have you been experiencing leg cramps during the night?” the doctor asked, looking over her charts.
Sheng Wanyan nodded. “Yes, they’ve been happening quite frequently lately.”
“You need to increase your calcium intake. Make sure to incorporate more milk powder, eggs, meat, fish, walnuts, and peanuts into your daily diet,” the doctor advised. “It would also be excellent to include some seafood—using dried shrimp to brew rich broths is highly effective. Just be sure to steer clear of raw or cold seafood.”
Mother Gu nodded sharply, committing every detail to memory. She was incredibly strict about what was safe for a pregnant woman to consume.
“The fetal development is perfectly on track, and the mother is in excellent health,” the director concluded with a satisfied nod. “You are entering your seventh month now, which is a critical stage. You must take exceptional care of yourself and ensure you return for your appointments precisely on time.”
“We will, Doctor. Thank you,” Mother Gu replied, carefully finalizing her notes.
The director of gynecology smiled, deeply comforted by how protective and nurturing Mother Gu was. “Is this your mother-in-law?” she asked Sheng Wanyan.
“Yes, she is,” Sheng Wanyan smiled.
The director sighed softly, a look of genuine admiration on her face. “It is truly a rare sight to see a mother-in-law hover over a daughter-in-law with such genuine affection. Most of the older women who accompany pregnant patients into this office only care to ask if their future grandson is healthy. They rarely think to ask how the mother is holding up, or if she’s experiencing any dangerous symptoms.”
Having overseen Sheng Wanyan’s care for several months now, the physician couldn’t help but marvel at how incredibly fortunate the young woman was. Her husband doted on her fiercely, and her mother-in-law protected her with equal devotion.
“The patient’s baseline health is wonderful,” the doctor repeated. “Just focus heavily on that calcium supplementation for now; it will do wonders for the baby’s bone development.”
“Understood. Thank you again, Doctor.”
Hearing that Sheng Wanyan and the baby were completely healthy allowed the last of Mother Gu’s lingering anxieties to evaporate. The two women thanked the staff and exited the hospital together.
Once Mother Gu settled Sheng Wanyan safely back home, Grandpa and Grandma Sheng walked across the lane to visit. Grandpa Sheng was carrying a fresh, one-pound cut of choice meat, which Pan Yue had specifically insisted the elders deliver.
Back when Pan Yue had been navigating her own pregnancy, her sister-in-law had constantly showered her with premium nourishment. Pan Yue understood perfectly well that Wanyan had done so out of respect for the family elders, but she refused to be ungrateful. Since her sister-in-law treated her with such genuine affection, she intended to return the gesture whenever she could.
“How did the appointment go? What did the specialist say?” Grandma Sheng asked the moment she sat down.
“Everything is flawless, Grandma. You and Grandpa don’t need to worry at all,” Sheng Wanyan reassured her with a bright smile.
Hearing that, the elderly couple finally breathed a sigh of relief. Noting that her grandparents-in-law were safely installed in the living room to keep Wanyan company, Mother Gu seized the opportunity. She mounted her bicycle and pedaled off toward the local supply and marketing cooperative to hunt down fresh shrimp.
Having lived at the northern base for over a month now, Mother Gu was thoroughly acquainted with the local geography, leaving Sheng Wanyan completely unconcerned about her navigating the town alone.
“Where is your mother-in-law rushing off to in such a hurry?” Grandma Sheng asked, watching the front gate click shut.
“She’s heading to the cooperative to source some fresh shrimp,” Sheng Wanyan explained. “The director emphasized that I need to boost my calcium, so Mom wants to brew some specialized shrimp broth for me.”
Grandma Sheng let out a soft, emotional sigh, marveling at how beautifully Mother Gu looked after her granddaughter. Regardless of whether Mother Gu’s devotion stemmed from Wanyan’s stellar behavior as a daughter-in-law or her excitement over the unborn child, the fact remained that she was shielding her granddaughter with everything she had. As a grandmother, she felt profoundly grateful.
“Your mother-in-law is a truly exceptional woman, Wanyan. You must make sure to treat her with the utmost filial piety in return.”
“I know, Grandma,” Sheng Wanyan replied softly.
She was fully aware that while Mother Gu had a tendency to be overly soft-hearted when it came to her fourth son, Gu Tinghao, she had never once treated her with an ounce of coldness. In reality, Mother Gu’s indulgence wasn’t directed at the fourth branch as a whole, but rather at her youngest son and her eldest grandson—the biological lifeblood of her lineage. As long as Mother Gu never compromised the broader family’s security for the sake of the fourth branch and continued to cherish her third son’s household, Sheng Wanyan was entirely content.
Currently, Mother Gu was not only providing exceptional care for her children, but she was also treating her daughter-in-law like a treasured daughter. Sheng Wanyan firmly resolved to repay her kindness tenfold in the future. In this era—and even across the modern standards of her previous life—finding a mother-in-law this fiercely devoted was an absolute miracle. As long as Mother Gu loved her family, her private favoritism toward her youngest son was of no consequence.
Now that the branches had formally separated, Gu Tingxiao’s military career remained entirely insulated from domestic friction, especially with Father Gu operating at the helm of the high command.
“Oh, and here is the cut of meat your sister-in-law insisted we bring over to nourish your body,” Grandma Sheng added, placing the parcel on the table.
Sheng Wanyan accepted the gift without a single polite refusal. She recognized that this was Pan Yue’s way of honoring their bond, always keeping her past generosity close to her heart. “Thank you, Grandma. Please extend my appreciation to my sister-in-law.”
Grandma Sheng nodded warmly. The elderly couple lingered for a long, comfortable chat, only rising to say goodbye when they noticed a familiar wave of third-trimester fatigue washing over her.
Once her grandparents returned across the lane, Sheng Wanyan prepared a quick lunch. Mother Gu had simmered a large batch of savory lean meat porridge early that morning, leaving an abundance of leftovers in the pantry. Sheng Wanyan reheated the porridge and fried up five fresh eggs, carefully setting half of the food aside to keep warm for her mother-in-law.
Mother Gu had sprinted out to the commercial district the moment they returned from the hospital, entirely forgetting to feed herself. Sheng Wanyan ate a modest portion of the warm porridge and then retrieved a selection of fresh fruit from her spatial domain.
Luxury fruits like strawberries were practically unheard of in the northern base during this era, so she didn’t dare pull them out in front of Mother Gu. She confined her selections to common, ordinary varieties that wouldn’t arouse a single shred of suspicion if her mother-in-law happened to catch her eating them.
Mother Gu didn’t return until late in the afternoon, and the moment she stepped through the gate, she realized she had gone the entire day without a bite of food. Worse yet, she panicked, assuming she had left her pregnant daughter-in-law starving at home, and rushed straight toward the stove to prepare dinner.
The moment she lifted the lids and discovered the fried eggs and warm porridge Sheng Wanyan had neatly preserved for her, her heart melted. Her daughter-in-law had already independently taken care of her own lunch and left a portion for her.
After quickly eating a few bites to restore her energy, Mother Gu set to work processing the fresh shrimp she had purchased, meticulously separating the shells from the tender meat. She set the shrimp meat aside to be gently steamed, reserving the nutrient-rich shells to be simmered into a clear, calcium-packed broth with fresh tofu.
In addition to the seafood, Mother Gu had used her afternoon excursion to stock their larder with a massive delivery of seasonal vegetables, extra bean curd, and prime cuts of pork. Every single item had been purchased out of her own private savings. After all, the extended Gu family estate had not yet been formally divided, and her other two daughters-in-law had drawn heavily from the communal family funds during their respective pregnancies. Mother Gu refused to allow Sheng Wanyan to receive a single ounce less than the others.
Sheng Wanyan remained resting comfortably in her bedroom while Mother Gu quietly went about her kitchen duties, ensuring she never disturbed her sleep.
According to their calculations, Gu Tingxiao was scheduled to return from his deployment in about two weeks. Mother Gu’s thoughts constantly drifted toward her third son, her heart heavy with maternal worry. They always said that a mother’s anxiety followed her son across a thousand miles, and it was a profound truth. Was he safe? Was the mission progressing smoothly?
Sheng Wanyan woke up around four o’clock. Knowing her mother-in-law was home, she gathered her fountain pen and papers and went to sit beneath the shade of the outdoor pavilion to work on her translations.
Taking advantage of the clear, brilliant afternoon sun, Mother Gu washed and hung the tiny, handmade sweaters and trousers she had meticulously knitted for her future grandchild. Nearby, Maodou was having the time of his life, joyfully batting a small ball Grandma Sheng had woven out of bamboo strips across the grass.
Watching the massive dog sprint across the yard in pure, unvarnished bliss, a deep wave of happiness washed over Sheng Wanyan.
